Daily Pilot Blog Registration Implemented

FREE-FOR-ALLS MAY BE OVER
After a couple years of hosting what has some times turned out to be a free-for-all on their blog, the management of the Daily Pilot has implemented a registration program today for those hoping to post comments on their articles online.

EASY REGISTRATION
It took me less than one minute to fill out the online registration form, which included an "identity" - I used my own name, as I have done in the past - a password and personal information. That information - name, address, email address and telephone number - is the same information a person would have to provide if submitting a commentary or letter to the editor to the print edition. None of that personal information will be visible to online readers.

THE NEW SYSTEM WORKS
I posted a comment using the new system and it seemed to work just as it had before except that my "identity" was pre-printed on the form. The process of submitting multi-part comments works the same as before, as well. I posted a 2-part comment, just to test it. I assume it will work if there are more segments, too.

WHAT WILL CHANGE?
I'm going to be very, very interested - and I'm sure the editors are too - to see how this impacts the volume of comments. I'm also going to be interested to see if it affects the civility of comments posted. I suspect nothing will change with those of us who use our own names and probably not for those who consistently use a single fictitious "identity". What I suspect will happen is that those few posters who have used multiple names to puff up their side of a debate will slink back into the shadows now that their technique, if you can call it that, will be exposed. We'll know pretty darn soon.

ANONYMITY STILL PROTECTED
If this registration works as apparently intended the meaningful debate of important issues should continue in the online version of the Daily Pilot. Folks can retain their anonymity - to the reading public - and still post their views. There's one guy in town for whom this is going to put a real crimp in his game plan. He's been arguably the most prolific poster on the Daily Pilot blog, using upwards of 70 or so fictitious identities along the way. He'll either have to adopt one identity or simply quit posting. Now, wouldn't that be a shame?


"CLEAN SLATE" TIME
So, this is "clean slate" time. I'm looking forward to spirited discussions on the Daily Pilot blog and invite each of you to participate as your passion moves you. The Daily Pilot blog is a tremendous community asset and should be a great tool to enhance the debate of important issues in our area. This change should help it fulfill that promise.

FILTERING THE RHETORIC

HITS THE FAN AGAIN
Once again the effluent hit the oscillating device while I was out of town for a few days last week! I refer to the debate being conducted on the pages of the Daily Pilot and it's blog on the subject of regulation, registration and censorship of comments presented on the blog.

NOT A NEW ISSUE
This is not a new subject. Ever since the management of the Daily Pilot decided to provide the opportunity to comment online on articles, editorials and commentaries there has been controversy. Much of it had to do with the anonymous posters - those who chose to hide behind the veil of anonymity to post comments. That anonymity has emboldened a few who corrupt the system by using multiple pen names to make it appear that their particular view is broadly held. Many of these same poseurs post criticisms of other folks who comment on the blog instead of offering constructive views on the subject at hand. Their obvious goal is to derail the debate of important issues by turning it into an attack on the debaters.

DAILY PILOT STAFF SIGNS IN
Many individuals have signed in on this issue, including several members of the Daily Pilot staff. On December 28, 2007 Managing Editor Brady Rhoades published a commentary decrying the kinds of online comments he was seeing, describing some as, "..despicable, delirious and downright deleterious to the ideal of constructive debate." You can read Rhoades entire commentary HERE. Publisher Tom Johnson took lots of flack for his commentary posted HERE. Columnist Byron de Arakal also received lots of grief from his most recent essay, HERE. Newport Beach resident, former council candidate and regular columnist Barbara Venezia - who gained fame stirring John Crean's sauces on their syndicated television show, At Home On The Range - chimed in with her own views, HERE. And, of course, yours truly had a letter to the editor published on this subject HERE.

RESTORE CIVILITY
In my view - and the view of many others - some changes are necessary to make the Daily Pilot blog a more civil environment in which to debate important issues. The violators of this civility pout and pontificate about loss of freedom of speech. The editors of the Daily Pilot presently require verifiable identification for any letter or commentary published on their print pages. My view is that they should not require less from those who try to post their views online.

LIMITED ANONYMITY
Now, that doesn't mean that every person who posts has to necessarily do so with their own name, as I do. No, there are certainly valid reasons for choosing anonymity - business reasons, for example. That doesn't mean I won't criticize them for using pen names, though. However, it's my opinion that the editors should know the identity of those who post on their blog and exercise the same editorial discretion they use to edit the print version. It's unlikely that most of the more virulent posters would be as irresponsible and vicious if they knew that their identity was known by the editors of the Pilot.

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR
It's my understanding that changes are on the way. Other local newspapers have initiated forms of registration on their blogs, so there is no reason for the Pilot to avoid it. I know the editors are concerned about stifling what they view as a valid "view of the people", but much of the offending stuff is akin to graffiti painted on an electronic wall. Just as we frown on someone shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater, there are rules for every aspect of our lives. Participation in the electronic media will have them, too.

DON'T TRAMPLE CIVILITY IN DEBATES
I look forward to the changes that are in the wind for the Daily Pilot. Presently, it is our newspaper of record and our primary source for accurate, timely news of our area. The blog can be a wonderful tool through which our neighbors may be heard on important issues of the day. Civility should not be trampled in the process of voicing those views.

Putting A Damper On Christmas

'TIS THE SEASON
I know some folks get depressed this time of the year. All the hub-bub of scurrying around buying presents, decorating every available surface with ornaments and faux foliage, the parties, etc. kind of gets to you. We lose track of what this season is really supposed to be all about. You know - "peace on earth, good will toward men" and all that stuff.

BLOGS TO BLAME!
This year it's been worse for me than others and I think I've discovered the reason. It's the darned blogs! Of course, it's my fault because I've allowed myself to become hooked on reading comment threads on our local newspaper of record, the Daily Pilot, and others.

ANONYMOUS GRINCHES
I'm depressed because it seems that, regardless the theme, some anonymous grinches will defile a wonderful communication tool and use the comment threads to criticize, demean, defame and slander folks. In a recent comment thread attached to an article about a long-time football coach at one of our high schools being fired, the more than five dozen comments shredded him, current and former players by name, parents and each other.

NO SUBJECT IS SPARED
Almost any article about education will typically end up with a long comment thread which can be guaranteed to be turned into an anti-illegal immigrant screed - even when those comments are completely irrelevant to the subject. When education articles discuss significant accomplishment at one of our local schools, comments will be posted twisting the accomplishment and attempting, again, to divert the praise for the accomplishment into a harangue about illegal immigration.

PETULANT POLITICIANS
I'm also disappointed and depressed that some of our local politicians - our young jailer/mayor and his buffoonish sidekick, the mayor pro tem, for example - use the comment threads as a forum to chide and criticize fellow council members. Sure, they can do it if they choose, but it certainly is a low-class move and pretty typical of them in everything they do. That's what we get when we elect small people to big jobs.

GUTLESS ANONYMOUS POSTERS (GAPS)
I'm depressed when I realize that the comment threads seem to be dominated by only a few people - some of whom certainly post under several anonymous names on the same thread. Much like stuffing the ballot box, this practice makes it appear that there is overwhelming support for his position. (I say "his" because I know who it is) My personal opinion is that no anonymous posts should be permitted. I mean, who knows where those comments are coming from? They could be from Irvine, Santa Ana or Rancho Cucamonga. It's my opinion that the Daily Pilot should hold the folks who post comments on their threads to the same standards that they do letters to the editor in the print edition, which requires signing your name and providing a telephone number for verification purposes. My pal, Byron de Arakal, has described these prolific anonymous posts as "graffiti", and he may be right.

MAY YOUR DAYS BE MERRY...
So, with just over a week until Christmas, I'll leave you to ponder those thoughts. And, in the spirit of the season, I'll leave you this time with the chorus from one of the classic Christmas songs of my youth - Stan Freberg's "Green Chri$tma$":



We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And please buy our beer!



Bah! Humbug!

Libraries, Lawsuits and Blog Terrorists

Here's a little early-week potpourri for you to contemplate.







NEW LINK TO THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION
First, over on the right edge of this page you will find a new link - for the Costa Mesa Library Foundation. When you have a couple minutes slide on over to the site and familiarize yourself with the efforts of these tireless volunteers who are determined to improve the library situation in Costa Mesa. Don't resist that urge to send them a few bucks to nudge their efforts on down the road. Pick up your pen, write that check and put it in the mail tomorrow.


MORE LEGAL POTHOLES AHEAD
The Costa Mesa City Council meeting tomorrow has a couple of interesting items on the agenda. Right off the bat, there's a closed session that includes an item on labor negotiations and - here's the biggie - a discussion of the most recent lawsuit involving the City of Costa Mesa and Benito Acosta. I won't attempt to revisit the last one - which was dismissed two weeks ago because of a gaffe by the attorney for the city. This one is the federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of Acosta. I honestly hope the majority on the council - who tend to see things in black and white - will be able to put their collective egos on the back burner and do what is right for the city - settle this disaster before it drains our coffers and causes further embarrassment to the city. Who knows, maybe all it would take would be for the mayor to suck it up, admit he made a mistake in the heat of the moment and apologize to Acosta. Do you think that will happen? Nah, neither do I.

DAILY PILOT BLOG TERRORISTS
I'm sure many of you visit the Daily Pilot online frequently. This has the potential to be a wonderful tool for the community as the debate of important issues can be pursued. Unfortunately, there is a small cadre of bitter spoil-sports who are determined to derail almost every comment thread by attacking those who express an opinion instead of addressing the issue at hand. Most of these people are cowards, fearful of attaching their identities to their comments. They are a bunch of bullies who hide behind trees and throw stones - like the insurgents in Iraq that plant IEDs then scurry away like the cockroaches they are. They contribute nothing to the debate and only cause pain and destruction.

VILIFYING SARA HARRIS
Among the most painful comment threads I can remember are those attached to the several articles about the tragic death of Sara Harris last week when she crashed her car in the Mesa Verde area. Regardless the reason for her crash - there are many as yet unsubstantiated theories - the viciousness of some of the posts on those articles shakes my faith in humanity. It's beyond me to understand how people can be so cruel and heartless. I find myself wondering if this is really the tenor of the times in Costa Mesa. Has the influence of the current majority been so pervasive that it's unleashed the worst of human nature among many members of our community. If so, what kind of a legacy will that be for our young jailer/mayor and his crew to leave behind? It's a very sad state of affairs. I provided no links to those articles. If you really want to read them, go the Daily Pilot online and find them yourself. If you do, please seek out Publisher Tom Johnson's commentary on this subject which was published last Friday. His view is, by far, the most reasoned discussion of this subject.

Daily Pilot Blogs and Right Wing Ideologues

Once again we turn our attention to the "wonderful world" of blogmania. Those of you reading this are already attuned to this process and will undoubtedly have an opinion on what follows. As always, I'm interested in your views as long as you don't use the name "Anonymous". My preference is for you to use your own name, but if you can't, then show us your creativity and make up something clever.

This whole blog thing is fascinating, particularly when I consider what's been happening on the Daily Pilot blog over the past few months. As many of your know, I've been a very active participant on that blog. Most of the articles covered by that fine local newspaper are of interest to me and, as a result, I usually have an opinion or two - or three - to share.

The editors of the Daily Pilot have imposed a 100 word limit to each entry, which gave some of us pause until we figured out we can just submit chain entries to complete a thought - or lack thereof. Once we figured this out the dialogue threads tended to present a greater number of carefully crafted views on the issue at hand. Not always, though. There are still plenty of those folks posting comments who seem more than willing to display their ignorance for all to see. Usually, these folks post anonymously by selecting any number of pen names. In fact, it's likely that a few people post under multiple names and end up having debates with themselves.

One very disconcerting element of the Daily Pilot blog is the eagerness with which many anonymous bloggers defame and ridicule others who post their views. It's not unusual at all for the first couple comments posted on any article, column, editorial or commentary to be relevant to the subject of the piece. From that point, though, the comment threads typically devolve into spitting matches, not at all unlike elementary school squabbles. In one recent comment thread of over 100 entries attached to an article about the performance of a couple local schools, fully two thirds of the comments criticized other posters - usually those who attempted to keep the debate on point. There are a few folks who seem to try to keep the debate of issues at a high level despite the jibes and cat-calls by others. As hard as they try to keep the debate on course, the yapping hyenas, whose only goal is ridicule and invective, keep trying to shout them down.

One particularly pathetic fellow - he will likely recognize my description - boldly posts comments using his own name despite the fact that he has a very hard time completing a thought. I guess his anger at his neighbor, a female city council member, clouds his judgment and gives him a brain freeze. He's now transferred some of that anger and frustration to me as he makes feeble efforts to provoke comments from me. Sorry, my friend - you lose. When you dither away saying nothing of relevance it's difficult not to be sorry for you. Just keep it up, though - practice makes perfect or, in your case, mediocre.

Recently, as part of the comment thread dangling from Byron de Arakal's commentary published last Thursday in the Daily Pilot, a person posted a two-part entry that advocated a race war in this country to resolve the issue of illegal aliens. He was quite specific about how his ideas would work - it was a clear, unequivocal, call to war. This kind of comment, in my view, has no place in the online version of a respected newspaper. The editors of the Daily Pilot certainly would not have published his comments as a letter to the editor - why should they publish them online? This person is entitled to his opinion, but he should create his own forum for them - as I did with this blog - if he wants to foment the violent overthrow of our government. I don't know how many comments the editors of the Pilot reject, but those two never should have made the cut. Based on some of the subsequent comments posted, I'm not the only person around here who feels this way.

In another part of town an insidious guy, who very much resembles my theoretical character, Your Neighbor, continues to rant on his own blog. Based on the comments posted on the Daily Pilot, he has many sycophants in this town - those without the mental acuity to develop their own train of thought, so they just read from his songbook. Among those are a couple of our elected "leaders" who seem unable to frame an issue without his specific guidance. They, and others, continue posting entries straight from this guy's far-right wing manifestos. Of interest is the fact that one of his recent blog entries appeared, within a day, almost verbatim in not one, but two far right-wing online sites. This poor guy posted an entry recently whining about attention recently bestowed on him by a Daily Pilot blog commentor and went on denying any kind of influence over our municipal court jester, Mayor Pro Tem Eric Bever, and praised him for the "great Councilperson he has become". Give me a break! Bever is a joke and continues to display his ineptitude and disregard for proper decorum practically every time he opens his mouth.

So, we'll just keep going along, providing a forum for rational debate on important issues and invite those who choose to do so to join us here.